Transaction

Like any ordinary high school, Advanced Nurturing High School's entrance ceremony was unbearably long and tedious. Aside from student representative Sakayanagi Arisu taking the stage and sparking a bit of Ryuuen's interest, the rest was utterly pointless and dull.

Sakayanagi Arisu was a Class A student who would eventually split Class A in two alongside Katsuragi. She was usually quiet, objectively observing and judging everything around her. Her legs were impaired, and she relied on a cane to get around, leaving her with extremely poor athletic ability. She alone knew of Ayanokoji's past and wanted to truly face him in a showdown.

Ryuuen was interested in her not because she was Class A's leader, but because the girl herself was cute. Ryuuen liked girls who looked appetizing—or rather, girls who inspired both protective instincts and possessiveness.

As they left the Gymnasium, Ryuuen stopped Horikita Suzune. "Ryuuen Kakeru. Nice to meet you."

Ryuuen extended his right hand. It was a habit he had developed before: shaking hands before speaking with someone. But in Horikita Suzune's eyes, his behavior was frivolous, like some street punk trying to hit on her. Even though Ryuuen's short hair made him look somewhat handsome and he behaved politely in front of her.

Still, Horikita Suzune gave Ryuuen no friendly expression. Having witnessed him give up his seat on the bus earlier, her first impression of him was that he was an overly nice fool, and she had no desire to talk to him. Frowning, Horikita Suzune ultimately chose to ignore him, flicking her sleek black hair as she brushed past him.

Everyone in Class C noticed that Ryuuen had failed to hit on her. Some mocked him inwardly, some were indignant, some were simply enjoying the show, and some felt nothing at all.

Only Ayanokoji and Kushida Kikyo in Class D noticed that Horikita had been approached. After all, Horikita still had no friends in the class. Only Kushida, who had always regarded her as a thorn in her side, and Ayanokoji, who wanted to use her, would pay attention to her. In a sense, she was rather pitiful, though Horikita Suzune herself would certainly not see it that way.

Noticing many hostile gazes fixed on him from within the class, Ryuuen was not afraid of them ambushing him. Still, being stared at by other men was disgusting, so he left alone and headed to the shopping district to buy daily necessities and workout equipment.

Although he had reminded his classmates to use their points sparingly, Ryuuen had no intention of depriving himself. He bought only the highest-quality toiletries and the like, as well as a punching bag and Boxing Gloves priced at fifty thousand points.

Looking at the twenty thousand points remaining on his Student ID Card, Ryuuen could not help sighing. "These points really disappear fast. I haven't been this poor since I started my business. Looks like I need to find a way to get some points."

After confirming his dorm address with the deliveryman, Ryuuen went to the school library. There was only one library on campus, open to all faculty and students. The reason Ryuuen had come was to find some third year students.

Ryuuen sat in the lobby with one leg crossed over the other, waiting for someone fated to come along.

It was not difficult to distinguish the students in the library. Their microexpressions and bearing revealed plenty of information. First Years were livelier and looked more inexperienced. Second Years were steadier, while third years looked comparatively weighed down. After two years of being put through the wringer by the school, third years about to graduate were under immense pressure. Even within the same year, each class had a different spirit. Class A students were certainly more confident, while the people Ryuuen wanted to find were from third year Class C.

After observing the students in the library for a while, Ryuuen roughly identified several third-year Class C students. Selecting a frail-looking girl with braided hair, he walked over, patted her on the shoulder, and spoke to her. "Hello, could you do me a favor?"

The girl raised her head in confusion. Looking at the handsome and strong boy before her, she stammered, "Sure. Go ahead."

"I want to meet the person in charge of your class. Right now. It's urgent." Ryuuen spoke softly. Not making loud noises in a library was a rule even elementary school students knew.

The girl was disappointed. So he had not come to hit on her. Still, she took out her Student ID Card and sent a message to her class representative. It was only a message, after all, and she had nothing to lose. Besides, the boy before her said it was urgent, and it seemed like something important. She wondered whether it concerned the class, but when she thought of Class C's situation, she sighed.

With no interest in chatting with the girl, Ryuuen sat across from her, casually picked up a copy of The Red and the Black, and waited for the third-year Class C's representative to arrive. The braided girl did not initiate a conversation either and continued reading her own book.

What Ryuuen did not know was that Shiina Hiyori was nearby. At first, she had also found it strange that Ryuuen was in the library. He did not look like someone who enjoyed reading. Then she saw him speak to a girl and assumed he had come to the library merely to hit on girls, just as he had approached Horikita Suzune in the Gymnasium earlier. But this time, the girl he approached was not pretty, and after saying a few words, Ryuuen simply sat down and began reading.

It was strange. Shiina Hiyori was certain Ryuuen had not come to the library merely to read or pick up girls, but she had no idea what he wanted. Thinking of how he had asked her that morning to gather Class Points, Shiina Hiyori wanted to take this opportunity to tell Ryuuen that she did not want to work for him.

But Shiina Hiyori had only taken a few steps when Ryuuen's Class C representative arrived. Watching Ryuuen leave the library with that man, Shiina Hiyori was still a step too late. Then she noticed that Ryuuen had not returned the book he had been reading to its shelf. She frowned slightly, but still went over and put it back for him.

"The Red and the Black. He has a tiny bit of taste," Shiina Hiyori thought.

Elsewhere, Ryuuen and Class C's representative, Mizuno Kosei, moved to the Cafeteria.

"We don't know each other, do we, junior?"

The ordinary-looking Mizuno took the initiative, immediately identifying Ryuuen's status while elevating his own.

"You've been troubled lately, haven't you, senior? After all, there's no hope of reaching Class A, and graduation is right around the corner. Tsk, tsk. How miserable."

Such a blunt jab at his sore spot did not anger Mizuno Kosei. As the person in charge of the class, he had that much composure. "You didn't come all this way just to mock me, did you? Stop playing childish games. Say what you want. Weren't you in a hurry?"

"Boring." Ryuuen sat upright and pulled a Ten Million Yen Check from inside his shirt. The check had not been folded, apparently having been carefully protected by Ryuuen. Although private belongings were not permitted before entering campus, where there were people, there was corruption. There was nothing strange about Ryuuen spending money to buy certain privileges.

Mizuno Kosei stared fixedly at the check, his voice lowering. "What do you want to buy from me?"

"You've already guessed, haven't you? After all, the only thing you have that holds value for me is points." Ryuuen spoke casually. "The points in your hands will be useless after graduation, and the school can't guarantee you employment. Selling your points to me is your best option, isn't it?"

Mizuno Kosei was very tempted. That was a Ten Million Yen Check, equivalent to five hundred thousand yuan. Ryuuen was so casual because he knew Mizuno Kosei would not refuse. Class C had no hope of advancing to Class A, and there was indeed no use guarding those points. They might as well be exchanged for actual Yen.

Mizuno Kosei also understood why Ryuuen had sought him out. This strategy was only useful against third years. The idiots in third year Class D would not have many points left, while Class B still had to make its final bid against Class A and naturally would not sell crucial points. That made Class C the best choice.

The question now was how many Class C points Ryuuen's check could buy. That was the key to their negotiation!

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